Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-12-02
4 NURSES ROMANCE
JEAN A. WARD.

paid a long-deferred visit to my
friend May Roberts, of the Trained
Nurse Sisterhood, at the - Hospital,
a short time ago. With her, and evil
IDENTITY the object of her devoted affec-
ton, was a dear little girl about S years
of age.
We sat in the beautiful grounds of
Che institution, and while the child
played around us l asked who she was
and whence she came.
at is strange story" said May, cal
most like romance"
"Tell it to me-, l urged, with the in
Gerest that begets confidence.
Tt was her half hour OF leisure. She
evidently was in communicative mood,
and began:
My native home is ! this State
New York, where my widowed mother
still lives. About q mile from our
village, in splendid old mansion,
lived DIR. Neville with his motherIess
son and many servants. The father
was strange. eccentric man, with iron
obstinacy marked on every feature Of
his hard face; the son was the most
perfectly beautiful boy ever saw; he
had tutors in every branch of learning,
horses of his own, and oil that wealth
could give. save friends. His father
xro,,l,1 allow b;,, ~, oc,o,:oGoo o,,l l-,,,L
himself in equally strict seclusion.
CAS- Edward Neville grew older this
restraint chafed him sorely. l was
about 10 years of age and he II. when
we heard through the village gossip
Shat there had been terrible scene at
the Big House. Edward had been
granted permission for two days visit
60 New York City, in custody of one of
his tutors. At the hotel there he met
the engineer in charge of party going
to Russia to lay line of railroad; he
applied for a position and was accepted
in an humble capacity. Hurrying
home he acquainted his father with his
determination to break his bonds and
to see and mingle with the world. A
storm of rage followed, and lie was
driven from home with curses. All
CHS and much more learned later.
CATER leaving school, my mothers
income being barely sufficient to sup
port herself in comfort, I looked about
me for employment.
ga faculty had for nursing caused
me to enter the Trained Nurse School
about the same time as yourself, and,
as you know, we both passed at the
same time, you being assigned to the
Rosevolte and sent here
ut was five months ago that there
was that terrible accident upon a
crowded ferry-boat ON the East River.
the horses in two large wagons on
deck became unmanageable and dashed
overheard, hurting into the river a
dozen or more persons from among the
crowd through which they plunged.
Among these unfortunates was gentle.
man with little girl. II was dark
day, the air was filled with binding
furry of snow. The child and father
were separated before they reached the
water; the little one, buoyed up by her
clothing, was carried by the swift tide
free of the boat. but the rudder chain,
or the boat struck the gentleman on
the head, and he sank beneath it al
most insensible. When he came to the
surface at the stern, being splendid
swimmer, he almost involuntarily made
such exertions as caused him to float
fora time. In the confusion Of rescu.
ing the many others, no notice was
taken of him or the child. No one
saw deck hand on little sloop leap
into the chains and grasp man who
was sinking through exhaustion. Nc
one saw two longshore newsboys, in
little row. boat, pick frightened
child from the dark river, snatch he1
from death with such eager but rough
haste that they dislocated her left arm.
The boys took the little one ashore,
carried her to the Office of wholesale
dealer on the wharf. She could speak
little OF no English, and kindly shop
keeper who was buying his stock at the
place, took her in his wagon to Belle
vue Hospital. I happened to he there
on visit that day, and was strongly
interested in tho poor child, and Ger
tainly she seemed to cling to me-
through the severe operation of replac
ing the limb and after.
"She spoke a language. I did no
know what to call it. also French and
q few words of English, "papa," being
most frequently repeated. Her cloth
ing indicated that she belonged to {